Exhaust-steam injector



Oct. 30, 1928.

J'. F. GRIFFIN EXHAUST STEAM INJECTOR Filed March 3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet1 ATTORNEY oct. 3o, 192s. 1,689,336

J. F. GRIFFIN EXHAUST STEAM INJEGTOR Filed March 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet2 A TTORNE) Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F. GRIFFIN, OF TEANECK, NEW ERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SUPERHEATERCOMANY, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXHAUST-STEAM INJECTOR.

Application filed March 3, 1927. Serial No. 172,396.

My invention relates to injectors of the type primarily intended ioroperation by exhaust steam from an engine, and which may in addition beoperated, when exhaust steam is not available, by live steam reduced toapproximately exhaust stean'i pressure, this live steam beinghereinafter referred to as auxiliary steam.

In injectors of this type a relatively small quantity of high pressurelive steam, hereinafter referred to as supplementary7 steam, is used toassist either exhaust steam or auxiliary live steam in operating theinjector.

Numerous control systems have been developed by means of which theseveral steam supplies to the injector, as Well as the Water supply, arecontrolled from a single manually operable valve, and the delivery ofeither exhaust steam or auxiliary live steam to the injector is governedin accordance With engine conditions by an automatic valve incorporatedin the control system.

lVhen the injector is operating entirely on live steam, a number offactors tend to vary the pressure of the auxiliary live steam enteringthe injector nozzle when the apparatus is constructed in accordance Withthe type of apparatus now in current use. Variations in the temperatureot the Water admitted to the injector aiiect the rapidity with Whichsteam is condensed, and with cold inlet water the more rapidcondensation oi steam tends to reduce the pressure of the steam beingdelivered to thev nozzle. The variation in the amount of Water fed tothe injector also affects the amount of steam con` densed, andconsequently the steam pressure. Fluctuations in the boiler steampressure also ali'ect the pressures of both the suppleinentary andauxiliary steam entering the injector nozzle.

These variations in the steam pressure within the injector areruidesirable, as they tend to decrease the range through Awhich theinjector Will operate Without breaking and such variations in thepressure ol' the auxiliary steam in the injector may also cause theoperation oit the automatic valve in the control system to becomeerratic.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of meanswhereby a substantially constant pressure of auxiliary live steam may bemaintained in spite of variations in boiler pressure and other factorsaffecting the operation of the injector. A further object of theinvention is the combination with such means of additional means iorregulating the amount of supplementary steam admitted to the injectorwhen the latter is operated on exhaust steam. Other and more detailedobjects et my invention will become apparent from the tolloivingdetailedV description ofi specific embodiments thereof illust-rated inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a diagrammatic view partlyin section of an injector and control system therefor arranged inaccordance With my invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammaticrepresentation of a variation of the invention.

Referring now to F ig. 1, the injectoris ot the usual and Well-knownform of this type, comprising a main housing 1 4forming a main steamchamber 2 having an inlet 3 controlled hy the exhaust steam valve 4l,and supplied by Way of conduit 5 with exhaust steam from an engine. Theinjector housing 1 carries a main nozzle G through which Aeither exhauststeam or auxiliary live steam passes to the Water nozzle or cone 7, to-which Water is admitted from the chamber 8. The jet established atnozzle 7 passes vthrough further nozzles to the delivery end of theinjector, this portion oit' the apparatus not being shown. Asupplementary nozzle 9 Yfor high pressure live steam is n'iountedcentrally of the nozzle'G and is supplied withl high pressure steamthrough the passage 10. Auxiliary live steam is supplied to the steamchamber 2 through the passage 11 and port 12. The exhaust valve l isnormally seated by means of spring 13 and is opened against 'thepressure oi said spring by means of the fluid pressure actuated piston14 mounted in cylinder 15 and actuated by steam admitted tlu'ough the'passage 16. Viater is supplied tor the injector through the inletpassage 17 and Water valve 18, the latter being normally closed byspring 19 and opened against the pressure et said spring by the fluidpressure actuated piston 20 operating in a cylinder formed in thehousing 21. The apparatus just de cribed ot standard form andconstruction, and it is not believed that a more detailed descriptionthereof is necessary or a proper understanding of the invention. `Inactual constructional examples, the Water valve housing 21 is ordinarilyformed as an integral part of the main injector housing 1, as is moreclearly shoivn in my application Serial Number 172,395, filedconcurrently herewith, and the conduit 21 shown in the diagrammatic formherein is replaced by a passage formed in the body of the injectorhousing.

Live steam for operating the injector and ,tor controlling the exhauststeam and Water valves is supplied 'from the boiler turret throughconduit 22 terminating at the main control valve 23 mounted in asuitable casing 24 located at or near'the engine cab. A main supplyconduit Q carries the steam supply from the control valve to theautomat-ic valve casing 26 which may be located in any position desired,but which pretn erably formed, as shown in my other application alreadyre'terred to, integral with the main injector housing.

In the particular form of control system. Whizch l have illustrated, aportion of the live steam delivered to the housing 26 is carried bymeans of conduitl QT to the supplementary steam chamber ot the injector,and a branch Q8 carries high pressure steam to the Water valve actuatingpiston 20.

The automatic valve 29 for controlling the admission in alternation ofauxiliary live steam and exhaust steam is of the usual form, comprisinga` double-seated valve member 2? to the stem et Which there is attachedthe piston 30. The head or valve portion of the automatic valve 29ismounted in a chamber 31 formed in the housing 26, said chamber beingarovided with an outlet. in the bottom tliereot around which there isformed the annular valve seat 33. The outlet 32 is connected by means ofconduit 34- to the auxiliary steam chamber 11 oi the injector'. Chamber35 is formed in the housing 26 above chamber 3l and is connectedtherewith by the port 36, this port having vformed around itscircumference in chamber 31 the valve seat 3T against `vhich the upper'tace of valve QS) is adapted to seat. Chamber is connerted by means ofconduit 38 with the passage 16 in the injector' leading to the exhaustvalve actuating piston 14. l)iston out the automatic valve is located inan open-ended cylinder 'formed in the housing 26 above chamber 35 andaround the upper end ot this cylinder there is formed a valve faceagainst which the check valve 39 is adapted to seat. Above valve 39there is provided a chamber 40Y to which steam from the supply lineleading to the engine is admitted by Way ot conduit 41.

Chamber 31 of the automatic valve housing is extended, as at 31, and inthis extension there is mounted a balanced valve 42, the stein 43 ofwhich is attached to a diaphragm 44 carried bythe housing 2G andoperating in a chamber 45 which is vented to the atmosphere. Spring 46mounted'in the housing Y cap 47 bears against the upper end of valveneeaesc 42 and is so mounted that the compression thereon may be varied.A. closed chamber 48 is provided beloiv the diaphragm 44 and thischamber is placed in communication with the loiv pressure steam chamber2 ot the injector by means of conduit 49.

The port openings provided by valve 42 which place the automatic valvechamber 31 in communication with the steam supply conduit 25 are ofcomparatively small area and serve to throttle the steam passing to theautomatic valve to a relatively low pressure.

The automatic valve construction is of a type already known and itsoperation may be brielly described as iollovvs: Assuming that the engineis operating and exhaust steani available, steam trom the engine supplyline admitted above valve 39 through conduit 41 will cause said valve toseat and Will retain the automatic valve 29 in the pos sition shown inthe ligure. In this position the auxiliary steam conduit 34 is closedand steam admitted through the open port 3G and conduit B8 will open theexhaust steam valve lt, when the injector is operating, the enginethrottle is closed and exhaust steam is no longer available, auxiliarysteam to take its place is admitted through conduit 34 by the shiftingof the automatic valve to its upper position. This shitting of theautomatic valve accomplished by the releaseot' pressure above valve 39due to the failure of the steam supply through conduit 41 and theconsequent unbalancing of the automatic valve. rlhe shifting of theautomatic valve to its upper position permits closing of the exhaustvalve in the injector by shutting oilq the steam supply to conduit 38,and by the steam in it being vented past piston 30, Which is a loose inhousing 26.

rFhe action ot the automatic valve is very sensitive, and the mostsatisfactory operation ot the injector and control system as a Whole isobtained if a constant steam pressure is maintained in the rhaml er 2 otthe injector. It such a constant pressure is maintained in this chamber,the operating range oii the in- Iiector is also materially increased. l?rom an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be obvious that the construction ascontemplated by my invention will provide a constant or nearly constantsteam pressure in the chamber 2, as variations in pressure therein willactuate the diaphragm 44 to vary the port openings ot valve 42.Variations in these port openings will be immediately reiiected in thepressure' drop at this point of restrict-ion to the steam flow, and thepressure of the auxiliary steam passing to the injector Will vary inaccordance therewith. rllhus, it the pressure in chamber 2 rises to anun desirable degree, the diaphragm 44 will act to further close the portopenings of valve 42 and reduce botlf the amount and pressure of thelllll auxiliary steam passing into chamber 2. It the pressure in chamber2 falls, the reverse action will take place.

Referring now to Fig. 2, I have'illustrated therein a `modilied form ofconstruction in which the injector, water valve, automatic valve andcontrol valve arrangements are the same as in the preceding form. Inthis form, however, the steam for actuating the water valve is carriedthrough conduit 28 leading directly `from the automatic valve housing 26to the water valve housing.

The supplementary steam chamber l0 of the injector, instead of being indirect communication with the supply conduit 25, is placed incommunication with the live steam supply through a balanced valve 50mounted on a valve stem 43 which carries a second balanced valve 42',the latter valve controlling the auxiliary steam supply leading to theautomatic valve in the same manner as in the form previously described.'Ihe valve stem 48 is attached at its lower end to a bellows form otdiaphragm 44 located in chamber, the latter being in communication withthe injector steam chamber 2 by way of the conduit 49.

In this form, the diaphragm 44 serves the dual function of regulatingthrough valves 42 and 50 both the pressure and quantity of auxiliarylive steam passing to the injector when the latter is operating whollyupon live steam and of regulating the amount of supplementary steamflowing to the injector when the latter is operating on exhaust steam.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description of my invention thatthe speciiio arrangement of the control system may be considerablyvaried and that many changes in the torni and disposition of the severalcomponent elements thereof may be made without departing from the spiritof my invention. which is to be limited only by the scope ot theappended claims.

That I claim is:

l. The combinati-on with an exhaust steam injector having a plurality ofconduits connected therewith lor supplying water, exhaust steam from anengine, supplementary live steam and auxiliary live steam to saidinjector, ot means for automatically controlling the admission oitauxiliary live steam to said injector, said means comprising a valve forcloing the auxiliary live steam conduit, and fluid pressure actuatedmeans in communication with the interior ot' said injector icrcontrolling said valve in accordance with the working conditions withinsaid injector.

2. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having an exhauststeam chamber therein and conduits connected with said chamber forsupplying thereto exhaust steam from an engine, and auxiliary livesteam, ofv

means for automatically controlling the1 admission oifauxiliary livestea'mto said chamber, said means comprising fa valve for closing theauxiliarylive steam conduit, and

iluid pressure actuated meansin communication with said chamber forcontrolling the operation ci' said valvein accordance with variations ofthe pressure of the steam within said chamber,

'Ihe combination with an exhaust steam inject-or having an exhaust steamchamber therein, conduits connectedl with said chamber for supplying`thereto exhaust steam irom an engine, and auxiliary live steam, asupplementary'live steam nozzle and a conduit ior supplying steam tosaid nozzle, ot'

means for automatically controlling the admentary live steam to saidinjector and the admission of steam to an automatic valve forcontrolling the admission in alternation oi' auxiliary live steam andexhaust steam tc said injector, characterized by the provision of avalve controlling the steam flow from said centro-l valve to saidautomatic valve, said first named valve being controlled by variationsin the auxiliary steam pressure within the injector.

5. An exhaust steam injector control system of the type wherein a maincontrol valve governs the admission of supplementary live steam to saidinjector and the admission of steam to an automatic valve forcontrolling the admission in alternation oit auxiliary live steam andexhaust steam to said injector, characterized by the provision of avalve controlling the auxiliary steam flow to said automatic valve, asecond valve controlling the supplen'ientary steam iiow :trom saidcontrol valve to said injector, and fluid pressure actuated means ioroperating both of said valves in accordance with operating conditionswithin the injector.

6. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having a main steamchamber, a plurality o'j conduits for supplying water., exhaust steamfrom an engine and live steam to said injector, and an automatic valvefor controlling the admission in alternation of auxiliary live steam andexhaust steam to said injector, of a balanced valve located in maticvalve, al luid pressure actuated dialiu phragm governing said valve,means placing said diaphragm in communication with the main steamchamber of the injector, and adjustable resilient means for varying theadjustment of said Valve and diaphragm.

7. A combinati-on with an exhaust steam injector hayi'nga main steamchamber, a plurality of conduits for supplying Water, exhaust steam froman engine, auxiliary live steam and supplementary live steam to saidinjector, and an automatic Valve for controlling the admission inalternation of auX- iliary live steam and exhaust steam to saidinjector, of a balanced Valve located in the auxiliary live steamconduit leadingto said automatic Valve, a second balanced Valve locatedin the supplementary live steam conduit leadingl to said injector, saidbalanced valves being mounted on a common stem, a fluid pressureactuated diaphragm for actuating` said stem and valves, means placingsaid diaphragm in Communication with said main steam chamber, andadjustable resilient means for varying the adjustment of said valves anddiaphragm.

JOSEPH F. GRIFFIN.

